Garden Birds

Tuesday, 25 March 2014

The Summer migrants are coming back EARLY!!!

Summer migrants I've seen

Firstly a SPOONBILL at Slimbridge WWT on the 8/3/14 was a nice early bird. A visit to Chew Valley Lake on the 16/3/14 saw not only 3 Chiffchaffs but also a SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF which had been around the Bernard King hide in the days before. A "new" singing Chiffchaff was heard in a woodland on the Berkeley Park-Scott Law path on the 16/3/14 as well. Gloucestershire's 3rd SWALLOW of the year flew low south over the house In the rain on the 20/3/14 which is 11 days earlier than my original "Earliest Record". A walk up Cam Peak in Cam (Glos) on the 22/3/14 had 5 Chiffchaffs singing in the trees. Then on the same day a visit to Frampton-On-Severn also had a Chiffchaff but also my first 40-60+ SAND MARTINS of the year all feeding and then moving south from the pools. On the 23/3/14 a look for migrant wheatears at Clapton (Severn House Farm) near the Power Station was excellent with 1 WHEATEAR feeding on the mud as well as the sea wall. A "new" Blackcap male was heard singing in the trees on the 24/3/14. A blackcap male was seen in next doors garden on the 25/3/13 which is quite a coincidence.

When will the first house martin be sighted in Glos? 4 were in Somerset on the 19/3/14 and 5 were at New Passage on the 20/3/14 so this could mean we might get a few early records.

Sunday, 9 March 2014

Newport Wetlands 9/3/14 sightings

Very sunny and HOT!!!
RSPB

linnet
Meadow pipit
5+ cetti's warblers
10+ coots
5+ tufted ducks
5+ pochards
2 mute swans
2 little grebes
1 little egret
Curlew heard
Wigeon
Shelducks
30+ reed buntings inc 2 sighted being ringed
10+ green finches inc 3 sighted being ringed
1 great spotted woodpecker being ringed
Blue tits
Kestrel
1 siskin
1 Water rail calling

Goldcliff area

2 grrenshanks
30+ redshanks
10+ lapwing
1 black tailed godwit
10+ redwing/fieldfare
10+ shelducks
20+ shovelers
Teal
Little egret
2 grey herons
22 avocets

Great spotted woodpecker being rung

2 different male reed buntings

Friday, 28 February 2014

Summer migrants Already!!!

There have already been a few early returning summer migrants in Britain over the past week.

2 garganeys- Bucks on the 21/2/14
3 Sand martins- Southern Ireland on the 22/2/14
1 swallow- Somerset on the 23/2/14
3 sand martins- Dorset on the 25/2/14
1 Osprey- Probable individual over Northumbaland on the 25/2/14
1 sand martin in Devon on the 28/2/14

Overwintering birds or other recent birds

A hoopoe has been sighted for a week in Ireland
A whitethroat in Cambridgeshire sighted on the 28/2/14 and the past few days
Siberian lesser whitethroat overwintered in Tynemouth (proved by DNA)
Other unknown species of lesser whitethroats overwintering
An overwintering swallow has been in the E sussex area for most of the winter
A willow warbler was also in East Sussex sighted occasionally.

The BIG question is, When will we get our first Wheatear?
They usually, along with sand martins, arrive in the first few weeks of March so it shouldn't be too long before they arrive.

Recent garden sightings 22/2/14- 28/2/14

Not that many birds being sighted but a lot of migration happening all around us and spring coming ever closer as the mornings are lighter and song birds are in full song

1 Shelduck flew over- 22th
Robin, wren and blackbird all singing on the 25th at 6:35
Blackbird singing at 6:15 on the 26th
AURORA (Northern lights) sighted from my bedroom window on the 27th. Very rare for them to be seen this far south but my first ever sighting.
1 green finch flew over calling on the 27th (First confirmed Feb sighting)
Blackbird singing at 6:15 on the 27th.

Some of my sightings in the area

Raven being mobbed by Carrion crows at Newtown (Sharpness) on the 27th
5 redwing sighted near Bushy Grove on the 27th
Shelduck in Castle field on the 27th
2 grey herons in a flooded field on the 27th
2 shelducks sighted in the castle field on the 28th

CWP- Cotswold Water Park (Glos) 22/2/14 sightings

Knowing that I needed to go to the Water Park for some new species on my lists it was very productive as I got my first 5 SMEWS (3m+2f) on my year and county list. My first 2 Red crested pochards on my lists as well as 4 goldeneye and 4 goosanders on my County list. Surprisingly I heard my first green woodpecker of the year which was good for my lists. 2 ravens, a very close glodcrest and lots of tufted ducks were nice to see as well.